Dj benedetto



March 10, 1964 P. DI BENEDETTO MAILING MACHINE Filed Dec. 7, 1959 2Sheets-Sheetl Ill' l l.

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msquhzz 0/ s'elvarrro INVENTOR.

BY ;fi

ATTORNEY March 10, 1964 P. DI BENEDETTO 3,124,500

MAILING MACHINE Filed Dec. 7, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 s2 32 26 28 T- l8I4 INVENTOR. PAsquALs 0/ alsNspa-r a ATTORNEY United States PatentMAILING h'lACl-HNE Pasquale Di Benedetto, 214 Kensett Road, Manhasset,N.Y.

Filed Dec. 7, 1959, Ser. No. 857,863 2 Claims. (Cl. 156-531) Thisinvention relates to material handling apparatus and, more particularly,to a machine for preparing en velopes for mailing.

In the absence of postage meters, letter mail is usually hand stamped bymanually moistening individual stamps and placing them upon the envelopeto be mailed. The flaps of such envelopes are also usually individuallymoistened and sealed, all of which consumes a considerable amount oftime. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide anefficient mailing machine which may be used for sealing the flaps ofenvelopes and applying postage stamps thereto which is extremely simplein construction, efiicient in operation, and which will avoid the timeconsuming and unpleasant hand mailing operations described.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a manuallyoperated mailing machine which will dispense and apply individual coilstamps from a roll to the front of an envelope inserted into a stampingposition Within the machine.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a singlemailing machine which will selectively apply stamps and moisten gummedflaps at a rapid and efficient rate, and in a neat and attractivemanner.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide mailingapparatus of the type described which is of extremely simpleconstruction, easy to use, and which can be manufactured in largequantities at a relatively low cost as compared to more costly postagestamp metering devices.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of thisinvention will become apparent from a study of the followingspecification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing,wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a mailing machine made in accordancewith the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a front plan view, with parts broken away, of the deviceshown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged longitudinal cross sectional view taken alongline 33 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a transverse cross sectional view taken along line 44- ofFIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary transverse cross sectional view taken alongline 55 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of certainoperating parts of the present invention, with parts broken away;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse cross sectional Viewtaken along line 7--7 of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of a web of postage stampswhich may be used with the present invention.

Referring now to the drawing, a mailing machine Ml made in accordancewith the present invention is shown to include a substantially rigidbase 12 having a housing upstanding therefrom. The housing includes apair of spaced apart parallel side walls 14 and a connecting top wall15. A friction fitting 16 secured within an opening 17 in one of theside walls 14 slidably secures a transverse shaft 18 in position withinthe housing 14, with a handle or head 19 integral with one end, and theopposite end of the shaft 18 extending through a similar opening 17 inthe other side wall 14. This shaft 18 rotatably supports a spool 20 uponwhich a roll 22 of stamps may be mounted.

The web 23 of the roll of stamps 22 is guided longitudinally through themain housing by means of a guide plate 25 which is maintained in spacedapart parallel relationship with the inner surface of the top wall 15 bymeans of a pair of laterally spaced apart spacers 26. These spacers 26,guide plate 25 and top wall 15 of the housing define a longitudinalchannel 27 through which the web 23 of stamps is directed. The end ofthe guide plate 25 adjacent to the roll of stamps 22 is turneddownwardly to define a guide edge 28 which will prevent tearing of thestamps as the web is fed through the housing. The stamps are visiblethrough an observation opening 29 in the top wall 15 of the housing.

The guide plate 25 is provided with an opening 30 into which a frictionroller 31 at least partly projects. The friction roller 31 is securedupon a transverse shaft 32 that is rotatably carried by the side walls14 of the housing and manually rotated by means of a handle 33. Thesurface of the friction roller 31 projecting into the channel 27drivingly engages the web 23 of stamps so as to move it longitudinallythrough the channel toward a vertical column 35, for purposeshereinafter described.

It will be noted that the rigid column 35 defines a transverse slot 36which is in alignment with the channel 27 through the main housing, andthrough which the web 23 of stamps is received. The vertical column 35also defines a vertical groove 37 within which a rigid post 40 isslidably supported for reciprocating movement in a direction normal tothe path of movement of the web stamps 23. One lower end of the post 40includes a rigid presser foot 41 which is substantially parallel to theplane of the web of stamps, whereas the opposite end of the post 4i?includes a handle 42 for effecting actuation of the post. A compressioncoil spring 44 seated at one end upon a lug 45 of the column 35 thatprojects into the groove 37, acts at its opposite end upon the handle 42of the post so as to yieldably urge the presser foot 41 in a directionupwardly and away from the path of movement of the web of stamps throughthe slot 36 of the colurrm.

A shear plate 46 having a cutting edge 47 is secured upon the heel ofthe presser foot 41, such as by a spot weld 48. This shear plate 46cooperates with the lowermost edge defining the slot 36 of the column 35so as to sever the web of stamps 23 passing through the slot 36 inresponse to downward movement of the post at. It will be noted that theshear plate as is arched slightly toward surface contact with the column35 and away from the post 49 in order to provide for the clean cuttingaction. The presser foot 41 also supports a resilient band 49 thatserves as a pressure pad when moved toward a substantially fiat table 50that is disposed at a level slightly beneath the plane of the web ofstamps 23 passing through the slot as. It will thus be recognized thatafter the handle 33 of the feed mechanism is rotated so as to move astamp into the space between the presser foot and platform 50, adownward movement upon the handle 42 and post 46 causes the shear plate46 to sever a stamp from the web so that presser foot 41 may drive itdownwardly toward the platform 50. The observation window 29 is spacedfrom the cutting edge 47 of the shear plate 46 a distance correspondingto the length of a full number of such stamps, so that by centering astamp within the window 29, the next stamp to be severed from the webwill be automatically severed in its entirety from the web.

A housing 52 enclosing the column 35, also serves as a housing forreservoir 53 which has an interior compartment 54 for storing liquid formoistening envelopes for mailing. A cellulose wick 56 is disposed withinthe reservoir 53, with one end 57 thereof projecting downwardly andoutwardly through an opening 55 in the lowermost end of the reservoir53. Since moisture expands the cellulose wick 56, it completely fillssuch opening 55, thus preventing outward flow of liquid except thedistribution of such liquid through the wick. A filler plug 59 carriedby the cover 58 of the housing 52 and reservoir 53 may be readilyremoved for filling the interior 54 of the reservoir with liquid. Itwill be noted that the free end 57 of the wick extends toward the table50 so as to automatically engage and moisten the facing surface of anenvelope which is inserted into the space between the presser foot andtable.

A Weight 61 may be secured within the housing 14 to provide additionalstability for the machine, and a scratch-proof tubular beaded member 62may be secured to the base 12 in order to maintain the machine in aselected position during use.

It will now be recognized that by inserting the corner of an envelope 64into the space between the presser foot 41 and the table 59, in adirection parallel to the longitudinal axis of the machine, the lowerend 57 of the wick will moisten the facing side of the envelope which isthus positioned directly beneath the web of stamps passing through theslot 36 in the column 35. As a result, a downward movement upon thehandle 42 causes the shear plate 46 to sever the stamp from the end ofthe web so that the pressure pad 49 will drive it into sealingengagement upon the moistened surface of the envelope. A release ofpressure upon the handle 42 allows the return spring 44 to return theparts to the initial position, following which the envelope may beremoved completely stamped. The flap of the envelope may also bemoistened and sealed simply by moving the flap, gumrned side facingupwardly, past the lower end 57 of the wick, so the wick may moisten thegurnmed flap as it passes through the space between the presser foot 41and the table 50. It is then only necessary to rotate the flap to theclosed position and sealing it in a conventional manner.

In its simplest form, however, as illustrated in the drawing and hereindescribed, this mailing machine is extremely eflicient in use, foolproofin operation, and may be manufactured at a relatively low cost comparedto conventional postage meter equipment. This simplified apparatus alsoprovides for the sealing of the envelope flaps in addition to theapplication of postage stamps to the face of the envelope, a featurewhich is absent from conventional postage stamp meter equipment.

While this invention has been described with particular reference to theconstruction shown in the drawing, it is to be understood that such isnot to be construed 4 as imparting limitations upon the invention, whichis best defined by the claims appended hereto.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. A mailing machine comprising, in combination, a main housingincluding a horizontal top wall and having a platform at one end below,adjacent to and parallel with said horizontal top wall, a postage stampstrip dispenser carrier by said main housing and comprising a stripstamp roller frictionally mounted thereby and a manually operatedadvancing roller spaced therefrom, a horizontal chute formed with theunderside of the housing top wall and a lower spaced parallel wall, thelatter being penetrated by said advancing roller for advancing the stampstrip therethrough, an auxiliary housing carried by the main housing anddisposed above said platform and having a spring actuated plunger havinga presser foot disposed above and adjacent the position of a stripportion advanceable beyond said chute, said plunger carrying a shearingblade for shearing said portion whereby on depression of the plunger thestrip portion is cut and forced against the platform, said auxiliaryhousing also carrying a moistener extending to the platform whereby whenan envelope is introduced on the platform therebeneath same is moistenedfor stamp afiixation when the plunger is depressed.

2. A mailing machine comprising a main housing having a stamp roll,advancing means within said housing for said roll including a frictionroller and a horizontal chute formed of a housing wall and a parallellower wall, said roller penetrating the lower and abutting thesaid'housing wall for horizontal projection of a single stamp, aplatform at one end of said housing below and adjacent the position ofsaid horizontal projection, an auxiliary housing connected to said mainhousing opposite and above said platform, said housing carrying a springactuated plunger and a presser foot normally above and adjacent theposition of said horizontal projection, and carrying a shearing bladeand a moistener, the latter extending to said platform, whereby when anenvelope is introduced on the platform beneath the moistener formoistening and under the auxiliary housing and upon depression of theplunger, the projecting stamp strip portion is sheared and affixed tothe moistened envelope.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS418,078 Singleton Dec. 24, 1889 1,073,515 Peters Sept. 16, 19131,835,817 Skolnik Dec. 8, 1931 2,591,519 Decker Apr. 1, 1952

1. A MAILING MACHINE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A MAIN HOUSINGINCLUDING A HORIZONTAL TOP WALL AND HAVING A PLATFORM AT ONE END BELOW,ADJACENT TO AND PARALLEL WITH SAID HORIZONTAL TOP WALL, A POSTAGE STAMPSTRIP DISPENSER CARRIER BY SAID MAIN HOUSING AND COMPRISING A STRIPSTAMP ROLLER FRICTIONALLY MOUNTED THEREBY AND A MANUALLY OPERATEDADVANCING ROLLER SPACED THEREFROM, A HORIZONTAL CHUTE FORMED WITH THEUNDERSIDE OF THE HOUSING TOP WALL AND A LOWER SPACED PARALLEL WALL, THELATTER BEING PENETRATED BY SAID ADVANCING ROLLER FOR ADVANCING THE STAMPSTRIP THERETHROUGH, AN AUCILIARY HOUSING CARRIED BY THE MAIN HOUSING ANDDISPOSED ABOVE SAID PLATFORM AND HAVING A SPRING ACTUATED PLUNGER HAVINGA PRESSER FOOT DISPOSED ABOVE AND ADJACENT THE POSITION OF A STRIPPORTION ADVANCEABLE BEYOND SAID CHUTE, SAID PLUNGER CARRYING A SHEARINGBLADE FOR SHEARING SAID PORTION WHEREBY ON DEPRESSION OF THE PLUNGER THESTRIP PORTION IS CUT AND FORCED AGAINST THE PLATFORM, SAID AUXILIARYHOUSING ALSO CARRYING A MOISTENER EXTENDING TO THE PLATFORM WHEREBY WHENAN ENVELOPE IS INTRODUCED ON THE PLATFORM THEREBENEATH SAME IS MOISTENEDFOR STAMP AFFIXATION WHEN THE PLUNGER IS DEPRESSED.